In various surgical techniques such as the closed reduction of fractures of long bones or the fusion of joints, it is common to provide parallel pins through the bone portions and interconnect the pins so that the load on the limb or other part of the body is transmitted through the pins and not through the broken portions of the bone during healing. In such a procedure, it is very important that the pins be parallel to one another. Otherwise, the load is applied non-uniformly between the pins and damage may occur.
Accordingly, among the objectives of the present invention are to provide an apparatus for insuring that the pins are parallel; which can be used to fix pins at any interval or distance; which can be used for insertion of pins of various sizes, and which can be used for insertion of a large number of similar or different parallel pins.
In accordance with the invention, the apparatus comprises a plurality of blocks slideable along a bar and adapted to be adjustably locked in position on the bar.
Each block supports a transverse opening, the openings in the blocks being parallel to one another. In one form each block supports serrations for engagement with a bone. In another form a removable sleeve is provided and has a complementary external configuration corresponding to the internal configuration of the opening of each block. Each sleeve has an opening therethrough such that when the sleeves are positioned in the openings in the blocks, the openings of the sleeves are parallel to one another. Each sleeve has a serrated end for engagement with the bone of a portion of the body for holding the sleeve in position during drilling of an opening and insertion of a surgical pin. Sleeves with openings of various sizes can be used to accommodate various size pins.